When betting on March Madness, you will come across some schools that you are not so familiar with. This is a problem because it is hard to bet on games that involve a team that you are not familiar with.
In this article, I offer a profile for five low-profile schools that, as bettors, you should be familiar with before heading into the NCAAB betting sites.
In order from fifth-best to first-best, the five schools are Colgate, South Dakota State, Morehead State, Samford and McNeese State. I include Grand Canyon merely as an honorable mention because of how well-reputed this small program has become.
5. Colgate
Current Status
After winning the Patriot League Tournament, Colgate is a 14 seed in the West Region.
Its first opponent will be Baylor.
Impressive Performances
Colgate deserves a top-five mention because of its impressive performances, particularly in non-conference play.
The Raiders lost at ACC school Syracuse by only four points. Moreover, they won at Vermont, which is a 13 seed. They enter the NCAA Tournament having won 17 of their last 18 games.
Great Defense
The biggest thing to know about Colgate is that its defense is excellent.
Video footage shows the quickness with which they rotate. If an opposing ball-handler manages to penetrate inside, Colgate defenders will converge upon the ball-handler without losing their ability to recover back to the perimeter.
Indeed, their ability to guard the perimeter is the most prominent feature of their defense.
They rank 11th nationally at limiting opposing three-point percentage, largely because of the consistency with which they contest opposing three-point attempts.
4. South Dakota State
Current Status
The Jackrabbits won the Summit League to earn their NCAA Tournament berth. They are a 15 seed in the East Region where their first opponent will be Iowa State.
Impressive Performances
On neutral court, South Dakota State played UCF in a nail-biter that the Big 12 school won by only three points. They also hung within two points of the Atlantic 10’s George Mason and they beat Wichita State, on the road, by ten points.
Including their conference tournament triumph, the Jackrabbits have won eight games in a row.
Dangerous Offense
The Jackrabbits are going to challenge Iowa State’s defense. They are tough to contain on offense because of their versatility.
While it might not impress people that they have multiple guards who are efficient from deep, it should impress people that they also have bigs who can shoot. 6-8 power forward Luke Appel, for example, shoots 45.9 percent from behind the arc.
Given the versatility of their scorers, you’ll see a lot of roll-and-replace action as part of their continuous movement on offense. A guard will “roll” inside and a power forward or center will “replace” him behind the arc.
Overall, the Jackrabbits rank 50th in three-point efficiency, although the threat that they pose behind the arc helps them rank even more highly in two-point efficiency.
Noteworthy Defense
I like the Jackrabbits more than Colgate because they are more balanced as a team. Their defense, not just their offense, deserves respect.
They are especially strong in the interior, where they effectively use bigs to cut off drives from opposing ball-handlers, making it difficult for them to score at the basket.
3. Morehead State
Current Status
Morehead State won the Ohio Valley Tournament en route to becoming a 14 seed in the East Region. Its first opponent will be Illinois.
Impressive Performances
Most impressively, the Eagles played at Indiana and lost by a single point. They were actually up by 15 points in the second half before collapsing in the final nine minutes.
Morehead State enters the NCAA Tournament on a six-game winning streak.
Balanced Team
Morehead State primarily wants to shoot threes and guard the perimeter. The Eagles rank among the nation’s top 25 teams, both at attempting three-pointers and at limiting opposing three-point attempts.
While they have shooters and perimeter defenders, they are also efficient inside on offense and, partly with their unique size, do a great job of limiting opponents’ efficiency inside the arc.
2. Samford
Current Status
Samford won the Southern Conference Tournament to become a 13 seed. The Bulldogs will open against Kansas in the Midwest Region.
Impressive Performances
Samford doesn’t really have stand-out performances.
The Bulldogs, though, consistently beat pretty good teams, with a list of their victims including Furman, Wofford and Belmont. They enter the NCAA Tournament on a four-game winning streak.
Samford’s Lethal Offense
Samford deserves the number two spot in this ranking because of its lethal offense. The Bulldogs run an intricate offense that features a dizzying array of off-ball screens that are tough for defenses to stay locked onto.
They’ll stretch a defense out by sending different players, each of whom appears likely to catch a pass, in different directions. Opposing defenders will, therefore, go one way before back-tracking to try to stop another Samford player.
When the Bulldogs appear to be getting a good look at the basket, they’ll pass the ball back to the perimeter for a favorable shot.
Their offense is so efficient partly because they do work for lots of good looks. Nationally, they rank eighth in three-point efficiency and 20th in two-point efficiency.
1. McNeese State
Current Status
McNeese State won the Southland Conference Tournament in dominant fashion to become a 12 seed in the Midwest Region, where they will face Gonzaga.
Impressive Performances
McNeese State travels well. The Cowboys won by 11 at VCU and by 11 at Michigan of the Big Ten. They also won by 21 at UAB, which is a 12 seed.
Great Interior Defense
McNeese State will especially cause problems for any offense that is disposed to score inside. The Cowboys allow the 361st-lowest point distribution inside the arc. They’ll get back quickly on defense to prevent transition baskets.
In the half-court, they’ll converge on ball-handlers, doing a good job of digging in order to cause turnovers, and they’ll double the post.
On Offense
McNeese State is lethal from behind the arc. Ranking seventh in three-point efficiency, it can get hot against anybody.
Honorable Mention: Grand Canyon
I wasn’t sure whether to include Grand Canyon because of how well-known it has become. Still, this 29-4 team beat San Diego State, a five seed, and San Francisco in the regular season. So don’t overlook it.
